Ingot stripping mechanism



Nov. 17, 1942. c; HNELY 2,302,631

INGOT STRIPPING MECHANISM Nov. 1%7, 1942.

O. HIVELY INGoT STRIPPING MEGHANISM Filed Das.4 1, 1941 s sneetsshe'et 2 Nov. 17, 1942.

o. HIVELY INGOT STRIPPING MECHANISM Filed peo. 1, 1941 s smug-'sheet s S11/umm Patented Nov. 17, 1942 2,302,631 INGo'r STRIPPING MECHANISM Ossian Hively,

Morgan Engineering Alliance, Ohio, assignor to The Company, Alliance, Ohio Application December l, 1941, Serial No. 421,235

9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in ingot strippers of the type capable of stripping standard, flush-type or hot-top ingots from molds.

In my Patent No. 2,063,676 of December 8,

1936, I have disclosed a novel ingot stripper of universal application designed to accommodate the three principal types of ingot molds used at present; rst, the standard or small-end-up type; second, the flush or big-end-up type; and'third, what is known as the Such apparatus is used to strip these various types of ingots without the application or the removal of any parts from the machine. All of the functioning is controlled by the cage operator and requires very little operating mechanism.

Such prior. stripper consists of a travelling bridge upon which is a travelling trolley. Suspended from the trolley is a stripping mechanism which is raised and lowered by means of cable drums mounted on the trolley frame. This stripping mechanism is guided in a stiff leg frame extending downwardly from the trolley. Extending upwardly from the stripping mechanism is a square shaft extension, the lower portion of which is threaded right and left hand to perform the stripping operation. Such square shaft passes through a revolving sleeve in the trolley which actuates the screws while at the same time allowing the square shaft to raise and lower through it, thus the stripping action of the tongs and bull head can take place at any point in the up and down travel of the stripping mechanism.

The physical proportions found in stripping departments usually require a considerable up and down travel of the stripping mechanism, and this requires a long square shaft, as it must be in the revolving sleeve in the trolley even when stripping is taking place at the lowest position. Such shaft requires a trolley when the stripping mechanism is at its highest position.

Furthermore, in my patented construction, the right and left hand threads of the square shaft, which effects movement of elements in opposite directions, are arranged end to end on the shaft, which necessitates an increase in the length of the shaft.

The primary purpose of the present invention' is to provide a more compact construction in which the square shaft does not have to rise above the trolley, and in which the threads of one pitch may surround the threads of opposite pitch-to elect shortening of the operating struchot-top type.

ture. By my present improvements, the total height of the building housing the stripper can be decreased approximately 22 feet. Apart from this economic saving, there are several other advantages which I will mention later.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and rugged device, and yet one which will be exceedingly eiective for the purpose for which it is designed.

The foregoing and other objects, together with their attendant advantages will be apparent as the invention becomes better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, and as will more particularly be pointed out in the appended claims. l

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the essential elements of my improved construction.

Fig. 2 is a similar view, taken at right angles to the view of Fig. 1, but showing a number of the parts in elevation.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a detail of themechanism illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical. sectional view of the lower portion of the stripper illustrating the manner in which a hot-top ingotr is removed from` a` mold. y Y

Referring to the drawings, 3 is a trolley adapted to travel on suitable overhead rails, not shown. Depending from the trolley is a hollow stiff leg 4 in which the elongated housing 5 is adapted to high head room above the travel vertically.. The housing is suspended by known means from the trolley of the crane and is guided by a carriage 6 which slides along vertical tracks 1 withinthe leg 4.

A square shaft 8 which is relativelyshort in comparison with the main square shaft heretofore used, is rotatably-mountedin the upper portion of the housing, as indicated at 9, and slides vertically in the square bore I0 of a collar II, the latter being xed toa pinion or gear I2.

Suchpinion, by` means of reduction gearing indicated at I3, is driven by a pinion I4, the latter having a bore I5 so that it can slide up and down along an auxiliary square shaft I6 which depends from the trolley. The upper end of the auxiliary shaft is fixed to aA pinion yorgear I1 driven by a power operated screw I8. It will be understood that the pinion yI'I always remains Vat the same elevation while the gearing I2, i3, I4 travels up and down with the housing 5.

An auxiliary housing I9 encloses the upwardly projecting portion of the main shaft 8, and is adapted to enter and'leave a vertical bore 2U in the trolley.

In accordance with the present invention, the main shaft 8 is connected at its lower end, as indicated at 2l, to the upper end of a sleeve nut 22 having internal threads 23 and external threads Zai. The threads 23 and 24 are oppositely pitched, and the internal threads are in threaded engagement with an upstanding threaded stem or bull head ram screw 25. The latter is ixedly connected at 23 to a tubular housing 21 which has telescopic engagement with a skirt 23 that is rigidly connected to the housing 5. The latter extends downwardly between the sleeve nut 22 and the lower housing 2l', and is provided with internal threads 29 in threaded engagement with the external threads 2Q of the sleeve nut.

From the foregoing it will be understood that regardless of whether the stripper mechanism is lowered or raised, force applied to turn the auxiliary shaft I will cause the main shaft 8v and the sleeve nut 22 to rotate. As the latter turns, it will move the bull head ram screw 25 in one direction, andthe housing in the opposite direction. By means of such instrumentality, certain parts are caused to push downwardly, while other parts are lifting, in order to take care of the various types of molds.

Arms 3i) are suspended from the lower end of the housing by means of pivot pins 3|, and each arm consists of side portions 32 (Fig. 2), joined at their lower ends by a cross portion 33. Abutments 34, carried by the arms, are provided for a purpose hereinafter described. Thus, it will be noted that if the a'butments are resting on the top of a mold, and the housing 5 is moved downwardly by turning the shaft 8l in one direction, the arms 32 will have a tendency to move the mold downwardly. On the other hand, if the conventional lugs of a mold are resting on the cross members 33 of the arms, and the housing 5 is raised by turning the shaft 8 in the opposite direction, the arms'30 will act to lift the mold.

The swinging of the arms may be controlled in the same manner as in my above mentioned patent.

The screw carries at its lower end a bull head 35 which is employed in pushing downwardly on an ingot to remove the same from a bigend-down mold. The ram 36 of this bull head reciprocates in the vertical skirt portion'3'l of the main housing 5, and it, like the ram in my patented apparatus, supports certain elements which it is believed unnecessary to illustrate or describe here, in view of the fact that the present improvement resides'primarily in the means for transmitting motion from the trolley to the stripping mechanism.

In order to handle hot-top ingots, the mechanism includes the following additional elements, see Figs. 2 and 4. Pivot pins 38 are arranged at right angles to the pivot pins 3| and are supported by a yoke 39 that is slidably mounted for vertical movement on the skirt 3l. Tongs 40 are pivotally mounted on the pins 38 and have spurs 4I at their lower ends to engage the hot-top of an ingot while the latter is supported in its mold on an ingot car. Each tong, as in my patented structure, has rollers, Ma at its upper end which roll in downwardlly diverging tracks or guideways, Mb, formed at opposite sides of a yoke 42. This yoke (see Fig. 1), rests on the ram 36 which in turn is actuated by the screw 25. Obviously then, if the shaft 8 is turned in a direction to lift the bull head, the ram in turn will lift the yoke 42, and owing to the divergency of the tracks within the latter, the spurs 4| will rst be brought into engagement with the upper end of the ingot, and then, as the yoke 42 continues upwardly, the ingot will be lifted out of the mold. For the purpose of preventing the mold from raising during this stripping action, the abutments 34 of the arms 30 are brought to bear on top of the mold and, of course, as the arms 3i) are carried by the housing 5, and the housing is moved downwardly while the yoke 42 is rising, the mold cannot rise with the ingot.

In comparing my new construction with the one illustrated in my patent, it will be noted that the distribution of weight and mass of material entering into the new construction is better from an operating standpoint. The torsional stress on the main square shaft 8 is much less. The gear reduction between the auxiliary square shaft I6 and the main shaft makes it possible to use a much thinner auxiliary shaft, with a saving in weight, against the former long square shaft.

Maintenance, with the improved construction, will be much less than with the old.

To sum up the situation, I have developed a push-pull stripper that performs all stripping functions exactly like the one disclosed in my above mentioned patent, and I believe it to be a distinct forward step in stripper design.

The herein described and illustrated embodiment of the invention has given satisfactory results, and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art, after an understanding of my invention, that other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is intended that all improvements contained in the above description or shown in the drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. In a stripping mechanism, a trolley, an upwardly and downwardly movable housing suspended from the trolley, an auxiliary shaft depending from the trolley, means on the trolley and connected to the upper end of the shaft for driving the shaft, a pinion movable upwardly and downwardly with said housing, said pinion being slidable along said shaft and driven by the latter, a main shaft carried by the housing and arranged at one side of and in parallel relation to the auxiliary shaft, a second pinion operatively connected with and driven by the lirst pinion, said main shaft being movable axially upwardly and downwardly relatively to the second pinion and driven by the latter, a sleeve member actuated by the main shaft and provided with internal and external threads, the internal threads being pitched oppositely to the external threads, a bull head ram screw having threaded engagement with the internal threads and a nut fixed relatively to said housing and having threaded engagement with said external threads.

2. In a stripping mechanism, a trolley, an upwardly and downwardly movable housing suspended from the trolley, an auxiliary shaft depending from the trolley, said shaft being immovable axially, means on the trolley and connected to the upper end of the shaft for driving the shaft, a pinion movable upwardly and downwardly with said housing, said pinion being slidable along said shaft and driven by the latter, a main shaft carried by the housing and arranged at one'side of and in parallel relation to the auxiliary shaft, a second pinion operatively connected with and driven by the first pinion,

said main shaft being movable axially upwardly and downwardly relatively to the second pinion and driven by the latter, a sleeve nut actuated by the main shaft and provided with internal and external threads, the external threads surrounding and being pitched oppositely to the internal threads, a bull head ram screw having threaded engagement with said internal threads, and a nut fixed relatively to said housing and having threaded engagement with said external threads.`

3. In a stripping mechanism, a trolley, an upwardly and downwardly movable housing suspended from the trolley, an auxiliary shaft depending from the trolley, means on the trolley and connected to the upper end of the shaft for driving the shaft, a pinion movable upwardly and .downwardly with said housing, said pinion being slidable along said shaft and driven by the latter, a main shaft carried by the housingand arranged at one side of and in parallel relation to the auxiliary shaft, a second pinion operatively connected with and driven by the first pinion, said main shaft being movable axially upwardly and downwardly relatively tov the second pinion and driven by the latter, a sleeve nut having an upper end xedly secured to the main shaft and provided with internal and external threads, the external threads surrounding and being pitched oppositely to the internal threads, a bull head ram screw having threaded engagement with said internal threads, and a nut fixed relatively to said housing and having threaded engagement with said external threads.

4. In a stripping mechanism, a trolley, a housing suspended from the trolley and movable upwardly and downwardly relatively thereto, an auxiliary shaft depending from the trolley, means on the trolley and connected to the upper end of the shaft for driving the latter, a pinion movable upwardly and downwardly with said housing, said pinion being slidable along said shaft and driven by the latter, a main shaft carried by the housing and arranged at one side of and in parallel relation to the auxiliary shaft, a second pinion operatively connected with and driven by the first pinion, said shaft being movable axially upwardly and downwardly relatively to the second pinion and driven by the latter, a sleeve member actuated by the main shaft and provided with internal and external threads, the internal threads being pitched oppositely to the external threads, a bull head ram screw having threaded engagement with the internal threads, a nut fixed relatively to said housing and having threaded engagement with said external threads, arms pivotally suspended from the housing and having abutments to push downwardly on a mold and other abutments'to pull upwardly on a mold, and a bull head connected to said ram screw and adapted to move upwardly and downwardly relatively to said arms.

5. In a stripping mechanism, a trolley, an upwardly and downwardly movable housing suspended from the trolley, a sleeve nut in the housing provided with external and internal threads, a main shaft connected to the nut for rotating the latter, the upper end of the main shaft, when the housing is in lowermost position, being a material distance below the trolley, means operatively connecting the trolley to the main shaft for driving the latter from the trolley, the internal threads of the nut being pitched oppositely to the external threads thereof and being surrounded by the external threads, a bull head ram screw` having threaded engagement with said internal threads, and a nut iixed relatively to said housing and having threaded engagement with said external threads. f

6. In a stripping mechanism, a trolley, an upwardly and downwardly movable housing suspended from the trolley, an auxiliary shaft depending from the trolley, means on the trolley and connected to the upper end of the shaft for driving the latter, a pinion movable upwardly and downwardly with said housing, said pinion being slidable along said shaft and driven bythe latter, a main shaft carried by the housing and arranged at one side of and in parallel relation to the auxiliary shaft, a second pinion operatively connected with and driven by the first pinion, said shaft being movable axially upwardly and downwardly relatively to the second pinion and driven by the latter, a sleeve member actuated by the main shaft, and provided with internal and external threads, the external threads being pitched oppositely to and surrounding the internal threads, a bull head ram screw having threaded engagement with the internal threads,

.a nut fixed relatively to said housing and having threaded engagement with said external threads, a first yoke movable upwardly and downwardly on said housing and adapted to be lifted by said screw, a second yoke arranged below the first yoke and movable upwardly and downwardly on the housing, tongs having intermediate portions pivotally mounted on the second yoke for pivotal movement about horizontal axes, and means operatively connecting the upper ends of the tongs to the first yoke, whereby the latter serves to swing and raise the tongs.

'7. In ingot stripping mechanism, an upwardly and downwardly movable housing, a rotatable shaft extending into the upper end of the housing and movable vertically relatively to the housing, means for rotating the shaft, a sleeve nut fixed to and depending from the shaft, said nut having internal and external threads, the external threads being pitched oppositely to and Surrounding the internal threads, a bull head ram screw movable upwardly and downwardly in the housing and having threaded engagement with the internal threads of said nut, a second nut fixedly arranged in the housing and having threaded engagement with the external threads of the sleeve nut, a ram movable with said ram screw, a supporting member vertically slidably mounted on the housing, tongs pivotally connected to the supporting member, and vertically movable means adapted to be lifted by said ram for closing the tongs and elevating them.

8. In a stripping mechanism, a trolley, a housing suspended from the trolley and movable upwardly and downwardly relatively thereto, an auxiliary shaft of polygonal cross-section depending from the trolley, means on the trolley and connected to the upper end of the shaft for driving the latter, a member movable upwardly and downwardly with said housing, said member being slidable along said shaft and driven by the latter, a main shaft carried by the housing and arranged at one side of and in parallel relation to the auxiliary shaft, a second member operatively connected with and driven by the first member, said main shaft being movable axially upwardly and downwardly relatively to said second sleeve member in the housing and driven by the latter, a member actuated by the main shaft and provided with internal and external threads, the external threads surrounding and being pitched oppositely to the internal threads, a bull head ram screw having threaded engagement with the internal threads, a nut fixed relatively to said housing and having threaded engagement with said external threads, arms suspended from and `pivot'ally -connected to the housing, said arms having depressing and lifting abutments, and a bull head operatively connected with said screw and movable upwardly and downwardly relative to said arms.

9. In a stripping mechanism, a trolley, a housing suspended from the trolley and movable upwardly and downwardly relatively thereto, an auxiliary shaft depending from the trolley, means on the trolley and connected to the upper end of the shaft for driving the latter, a member movable upwardly and downwardly with said housing, said member being slidable along said shaft and driven by the latter, a rotatable main shaft carried by the housing, and arranged at one side of and in parallel relation to the auxiliary shaft, a second member operatively connected with and driven by the rst member, said main shaft being movable axially upwardly and downwardly relatively to the second member and driven by the latter, a threaded sleeve actuated 'by the main shaft and provided with internal and external threads, the external threads surrounding and being pitched oppositely to the internal threads, a bull head ram screw having threaded engagement with the internal threads, a nut xed relatively to said housing and having threaded engagement with said external threads, arms pivotally connected to and suspended :from the housing, depressing and lifting abutments carried by the arms, a supporting member vertically movable relatively to the housing, tongs pivotally connected to said supporting member, and means operatively connected to the ram screw for closing the tongs and lifting the tongs and supporting member.

OSSIAN I-IIVELY. 

